Legacy

Mary Virginia Merrick's love for the Christ Child led her to do all she could to help children in need, despite her personal physical suffering and paralysis.

She saw the Christ Child in each child she encountered, and drew others to help children in need, eventually leading to the establishment of the Christ Child Society in 1887.

This was an extraordinary feat for her time and physical limitations. Today, we are familiar with the ministry of Catholic Charities and other social service agencies, but these did not exist in the 1880's in Washington, DC. The only general Catholic relief agency at the time was a small St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Today, the work of the Christ Child Society across the United States is a testament to the faith of one woman, Mary Virginia Merrick.